Saturday, March 15, 2008

Progressive relaxation involves tensing a muscle group to a point where the group is tight, but not to the point where it’s quivering, and holding that point for a count of five. Then let go and let the muscle group relax.

An easy way to practice this technique is to tighten your arm muscle while sitting in a chair with someone holding your hand. Then, have your partner try to lift your arm while it’s tensed. Assuming that your partner isn’t a weight lifter trying to prove her strength, she shouldn’t be able to lift it if you’re tensing it correctly. Then close your eyes, let your arm relax, and see if your partner can lift your hand.

Call your fully tensed position a hundred, and your relaxed position zero. That range oftension is what you are trying to achieve with all of your muscle groups. You should go from one group to another according to the following plan:

Separately tense individual muscle groups

Hold the tension for five seconds

Relax the tension slowly, and say to yourself, “Relax and let go.”

Take a deep breath

Breathe out slowly, silently saying “Relax and let go.”

One arm at a time: push your hand against the surface on which you’re resting

One arm at a time: from a straight position, make a fist and slowly bend your elbow, pulling your fist toward you while tightening your arm.

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